


Maybe a Vacation

by kittyloaf



Category: Parahumans Series - Wildbow
Genre: Ah My Goddess References, Gen, Humor, Neon Genesis Evangelion References, Ranma 1/2 References, naruto references
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-09
Updated: 2015-04-09
Packaged: 2019-06-24 07:31:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 17,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15625800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kittyloaf/pseuds/kittyloaf
Summary: Consider this an Omake sequel (way in the future) to Maybe A Dream written for myself to blow off steam. This is not serious at all. Please don't read this. Oh God how do I delete stories?





	1. Chapter 1

A young man with dark red hair, wearing a black coat fell through the sky. This was not the first time the ninja had been in this particular situation. In fact, it had become somewhat mundane to him. He thought to himself, "At least this time I can see where I'm falling. Woah, it's a city. Hopefully this time I don't get any ancient Chinese curses."

The ground rose to greet the teenager with terrifying speed. Despite the impending doom, the ninja calmly flexed his fingers together in various positions, channeling his internal energies in preparation as he readied to brace himself from the fall. Instead of dying to a mortal splatter, the teen splashed into the ground which met him with a gelatinous ripple.

When the ground ceased quivering, the young man rose from being waist deep in dirt as if he were standing on an elevating platform. Looking around, he saw three teenage girls staring at him with expressions ranging from awe to wariness.

"Yo, can you tell me where I am?" he asked in Japanese.

One of the braver girls, attractive and dark skinned, ventured to speak, "Hello? Do you speak English."

This surprised the male teen who rarely needed to speak his first language. "Oh, yeah, do you speak English? Well, it's obvious you do. Sorry, I'm just a little disoriented."

"Are you a cape?" another of the attractive teenage girls asked.

"What? This is just a coat. What?" the boy said in confusion while dusting off said coat.

"Are you a cape? You know, powers and stuff," she repeated, annoyance clear in her voice this time.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He turned toward the nearby building. "Is someone screaming in there?"

The last of the trio meekly offered, "I dunno. I can't hear anything." She then spoke to her friends, "Let's get out of here."

The three girls backed away from the disheveled dirt that radiated from the boy and left, walking briskly toward the gate of the property. Suddenly alone, the teen decided to head toward the screaming he could faintly hear. Opening the nearest door, he found himself in what was obviously an American high school, judging from the row of lockers lining the sides of the hallway. At the end of the hallway, it sounded like someone was trying to escape one of the lockers.

By the time he reached the locker, there was an overwhelmingly foul smell pervading the area, almost as disgusting as the sobbing and screaming coming from inside the padlocked locker.

"Are you...okay in there?" he asked.

Whoever was occupying the locker began to desperately pound against the thin metal. "Please...please let me out," she sobbed in a hoarse, tired voice.

Reaching into the sleeve of his long black coat, the boy retrieved a sharp metal kunai and sliced the hinges off the locker door. A lanky teenage girl fell out, covered in used female hygiene products. She was crying into the floor, unable to stand. The boy knew that her various cuts and scrapes were probably already infected.

He spoke, "Ew. That's really gross." He stepped back from the crying girl who was covered in vomit, trash, and menstrual blood. "This is a school, right? Are there showers or something that you can use?"

The girl managed to nod, her sobbing slowing down as she regained a tiny amount of composure.

The boy reached into his sleeve and pulled out a handkerchief that he never wanted back. The girl received it solemnly and began to wipe her face and glasses. She coughed and spit onto the floor before asking, "Who are you?"

"I'm no one of importance. I don't really think I belong here but it's not like I got anywhere better to be. Can you stand? Cause I'm not getting my coat dirty if you can't walk on your own."

The girl stared at the boy speechlessly, frozen in disbelief. She only snapped out of it when the male offered her a bo staff that he had pulled out of his sleeve.

"You've been in there a long time."

"Shut up."

"Do you need help? It's not like you have anything I haven't seen before," the young man shouted at the girl over the sound of the shower running. He sat alone in the girls' locker room to await the girl.

Eventually, the water shut off and the girl spoke again, "I don't have anything to wear."

The boy unzipped his coat down the middle and pulled out a red cheongsam with gold filigree, solid pieces of metal ornamenting the silk dress. The dress was wrapped in plastic, having been dry cleaned a long time ago. It left the boy's hands and floated around a corner to levitate in place in front of the girl. The boy shouted, "It's probably a going to be too big for you. If it doesn't fit, I have some guy clothes somewhere that you could try on."

After the girl dried herself with a towel, she tried on the dress. She noted that the water from her hair was dripping onto the silk, that it was far nicer than anything she typically wore. "It's short. And the chest is too big."

"Well, I'm sorry for being short. Not sorry for the other thing," he shouted back.

The girl stepped out, pulling the skirt down as far as possible. "My name is Taylor."

"Fascinating," the boy said sarcastically.

"I want to thank you...for saving me...for everything," she said into the floor. A million things were running through the girl's mind at the moment and it was hard to formulate sentences. She wished she could be more eloquent to her savior.

"Don't bother. Come sit here and let me check out your wounds before they get infected."

The girl acquiesced and let the boy run his hands over her limbs. She was only slightly surprised when the boy's palms began to glow and the scratches began to disappear from her skin. "Are you a cape?"

"A what?"

"A cape. Like a hero or villain," she explained.

"Um...no?" he ventured an answer.

"So you're a rogue then. How...how did you know where I was? Who told you..."

"You were screaming kind of loudly. It was getting annoying," the boy said frankly.

"No one else...no one came. Even though everyone saw them put me in that...that..." Taylor grabbed her head, as if trying to shake away a headache.

"So what are you going to do now?"

"I...I don't know...this isn't the first time they did something like this...but it was never...it was never this bad..." The girl was again on the verge of tears.

"Hey, uh, if you're going to start crying again..." he warned, standing up.

"Arggh, why won't it stop? I can feel them moving, I can feel them. Them," she muttered through her teeth.

"Okay, lady, you are creeping me out now. You can cry if you want to. Just go back to 'not insane' please."

Bugs of all sorts began to emerge from ventilation ducts and cracks in the frosted windows and from under the door. Silverfish and ants and spiders and cockroaches and flies and the boy freaked out. He summoned fire in his hands and sent it against the hoards of insects. "Mother fucking bugs in this motherfucking locker room. You fucking stay away from me you fucking bugs."

"I can feel them..." the girl muttered.

"Well, fucking tell them to stay the hell away from me! I don't do bugs. Fucking Aburame..."

The small swarm began to dissipate, leaving in the same manner that it came except for the bugs that had been burnt to a crisp.

"I think I got it now," the girl said, no longer having a psychotic episode.

"That was you?! You did that?!" the red haired boy shouted at the black haired girl.

"I think I just triggered."

"Uh, okay. What does that have to do with a million bugs attacking us?"

"No, I think that's my power. I think I can control them."

"Just keep them away from me, okay? Taylor, right?"

"Yeah, Taylor Hebert."

"Taylor, can you tell me where I am?" This place was definitely unfamiliar to the boy.

"Um, we're at Winslow High," Taylor answered.

"Yeah, but where is that?" the boy specified.

"Winslow High in Brockton Bay?"

"And Brockton Bay is a city?"

"Yeah, Brockton Bay, Massachusetts."

"So I'm in the United States?"

"Yeah. Where did you come from?"

"Tokyo-3. I was only there for a while though."

"Tokyo...three?"

"Don't worry about it. So, you can control bugs?"

"Apparently. I'm kinda new to this."

"I've met people who can control bugs. You do not want to make them your enemies," he said with a shudder.

Taylor made a contemplative noise. She looked down and realized what she was wearing. "Do you want this back?" she asked, wondering why the boy would have such a dress.

"Nah, I've got more of them. If you want to wear it again, you should get it adjusted though."

"Okay," the girl said. "I kind of want to go home now. Thank you for everything but I think I should go. Are you on PHO? Can I contact you?"

"What's PHO? Is that some kind of game?" the boy asked ignorantly.

"The Parahumans Online forum. Do you have a cape name I can find you under?"

"Like the internet? What year is this?"

"Year? It's 2011."

"Huh. Trippy. I can get internet access at a library, right?"

"Yeah. So, Trippy, if I wanted to talk to you again..."

The boy sighed. "No, I was just remarking on something interesting. My name is Haru. I'll look up that website later. Hey, you aren't going to get stuffed into any more lockers are you? Cause that was really..."

"No."

"Okay, take care of yourself then," he politely said, backpedaling out of the girls' locker room.

"Haru..." the teenage girl repeated to herself as she stared at the short Asian dress she was wearing. Her long curly black hair fell against the red and gold in stark contrast. "He was so nice. Kinda weird. But nice." She didn't think she'd be saved by a cape, much less one as weird as Haru. What powers did he have anyways?

Elsewhere, the boy in the black coat stood on a rooftop and stared out into the bay at the floating tower that loomed over the city. "2011. Right." At least he could speak the language. He planned on looking up this 'PHO' as soon as possible. And maybe trading some of his ryo for dollars. Hopefully solid gold was still worth something in this universe.


	2. Chapter 2

At the Brockton Bay Library, Haru stood at a terminal and browsed the internet.

Haru muttered to himself aloud, no doubt adding to the mystique of his long black coat, feminine looking ponytail, and heterochromia. "Oh, so that's what they meant when they asked whether I was a cape. Am I a cape? I don't really have any superpowers...unless you count the whole AT field thing. And they have secret identities. This world is crazy. Also, I had forgotten how useful Wikipedia is."

Apparently this world had a bunch of superheroes and supervillains and even angel-like monstrosities that occasionally attack the world. Instead of fighting them with EVA units, heroes and villains would work together to fend them off until the next attack. Collectively, they were referred to as 'capes', referencing the traditional superhero costume.

The Parahumans Online forum was a rich trove of trolling, speculation, shoutouts, and Youtube videos. As he browsed the Parahumans wiki, Haru considered claiming a cape name for himself.

"Nahhhhh."

* * *

Seated behind her desk, Director Piggot addressed the female ward, "So, Shadow Stalker. What do you have for me?"

Compared to the business suit wearing Emily Piggot, Shadow Stalker wore a black costume with a simple black mask. Whereas Director Piggot was overweight with an out-of-date bob haircut, Shadow Stalker was thin and lithe. Although Shadow Stalker's face was concealed, both women had serious expressions on their face.

"There's a new cape in town. I'm pretty sure he was male. Fell from the sky and liquefied the earth to stop his fall. Wore a black coat. Long red hair. I think he spoke Japanese at first before switching to English."

"Why didn't you investigate further?"

"I was in my civilian identity at school and around other civilians. It would have aroused suspicion if I questioned him too much. Also, he seemed confused and unaware of where he was."

"Maybe a Case 53?"

"He didn't have any obvious abnormalities in his appearance. I wasn't able to stick around and learn whether it was amnesia. Wait, no, his eyes were different colors. I remember that much."

"And you mentioned that he might be a candidate for the wards?"

"I couldn't find him when I came back to the school as Shadow Stalker. All I know is he seemed like a teenager with maybe mover or shaker powers. I'm reporting it cause regulations say I am supposed to inform you when unknown capes appear, Director Piggot," Shadow Stalker stated with a large amount of effort placed in maintaining due respect.

"You haven't given me much to work on," remarked Piggot.

"Just doing my job, Ma'am," the ward replied with a smirk.

Piggot smiled herself, "Since you're so good at your job, I'll be sure to schedule extra patrols for you this week so that you'll have more chances to identify your mystery cape."

Shadow Stalker scowled. "Yes, Ma'am."

* * *

Haru posted on the missed connections section of the PHO forums.

"To Bugs:

At library. Thanks for tip.

-Don't Call Me Trippy"

It wasn't long before he received a reply in his thread.

"To Trippy:

I want to thank you again for saving me. Will I see you again?

-Bugs

PS: What am I supposed to call you then?"

Haru changed the tab from the wiki article on Leet and Uber to reply to Taylor.

"To Bugs:

Just call me Haru. And sure, I got nothing better to do. Gonna do some exploring first before I step on anyone's toes.

-Haru"

Unfortunately, his time on the computer ended before he could read Taylor's reply.

"To Haru:

If you need a guide, I could meet you at the library. Just give me the word.

-Bugs"

* * *

"Hey, you, are you okay?" asked the police officer as he poked the sleeping boy that was laying on the park bench.

It only took a split second for Haru to disarm the police officer of his collapsible baton, trip the officer, and steal the firearm out of the falling officer's side holster.

"Woah, woah! What the hell?" the policeman yelled from the ground at the boy who was pointing the firearm into the policeman's chest.

"Sorry about that. Habits. It's a good thing you didn't have any killing intent." After removing the magazine, Haru tossed the unloaded handgun back to the officer on the ground. "How can I help you, Sir?"

The middle-aged man stared at the boy. "How old are you, kid?"

"I dunno, like fifty if you count everything, I guess," Haru offered with a shrug.

The man scoffed at the suggestion that the impertinent boy could be older than himself. As he checked his firearm and retrieved the magazine that Haru had gently placed on the ground, the man said, "You are not fifty years old. And that means you should be in school. What's your name, kid? No funny business."

"My name is Taylor Hebert, sir. Are you going to take me to school then?" Haru lied impassively.

"...Yeah, just wait a second." the officer asked, wary of being attacked again. He spoke into his shoulder radio, "Dispatch, I have a truant teenager with me. Can you look up a Taylor Herbert for me? Herbert? Hebert?" The frustrated man pointed at Haru. "Which is it?"

Haru simply shrugged.

"Alright. Let's see some ID."

"Dun got any."

Before the police officer could become suspicious, the radio crackled, "Taylor Hebert, repeated absentee from Winslow High."

"Yeah! That's the high school I go to. I got lost on the way to school and decided to take a nap. I don't have a cell phone or gps or anything so can you take me there?" Haru asked, sincere about getting lost in the city amidst his lazy wanderings. The crows on this world were not as cooperative as he was used to. He was going to look up the school in the library later but a free car ride was more than welcome. Maybe the real Taylor would be there.

"Get in the car, kid," ordered the grumpy man. "And don't touch the gun."

"Can I at least drive?"

The officer groaned and opened the back seat door of this patrol car. Haru had already seated himself in the shotgun passenger seat, despite the door having been locked and the boy having been behind him only a second before.

The police officer stared at the boy and double checked with his hand to make sure his weapon was still holstered. "In the back, kid."

"Aw."

* * *

Outside Winslow High, the police officer said, "And give me my baton back."

"You're seriously no fun, dude."


	3. Chapter 3

Haru strode into the Winslow High office. For all intents and purposes, Haru appeared to indeed be Taylor Hebert to anyone close enough to be affected by his illusion. Anyone looking or listening would only see Taylor in the clothes she had been wearing the previous day and hear Taylor's own voice as Haru remembered it.

"Hi! My parents want to see a copy of my class schedule. Can you print one out for me? My name is Taylor Hebert."

"Why don't you print out a copy online?" the secretary asked.

"We're having computer troubles at home. Why else would I bother coming in here?"

The secretary gave a suspicious look before turning to her computer. "I hope you know that you're late for class."

"Sorry I got to school late. I just want to get this done so my parents don't have to wait for me after school."

"Do you have your student ID?" she asked.

'Taylor' gave a smile and answered nonchalantly, "I lost it last week. They told me I'd have to wait a while to get a new one."

The office worker gave up, too busy to be concerned with such a minor request. She passed the illusionary Taylor a printout that Haru took in hand. "Happy? Now hurry up and get to class, Taylor."

"Thank you! Have a nice day!" Haru's illusion said cheerfully. Noting the time from the clock on the wall, he now knew where Taylor was supposed to be at the moment.

* * *

Apparently the real Taylor was skipping school today because Haru had filled in for the girl in most of her classes so far. No one had approached the illusion of the girl. As far as Haru could tell, people were content to completely ignore her, at least until world affairs class.

The male teacher had assigned group work for the class. Each group was supposed to analyze the biases of a news article that was passed out. Immediately, Haru's desk had been surrounded by the three girls who he had met the day before.

"How are you doing today, Taylor?" the dark skinned girl asked as she put her elbow into Haru's shoulder.

"I'm doing good. How are you?" Illusionary Taylor said. The response did not go over so well with the girls. "So for this article, how about we brainstorm a list of..."

"I'm surprised that you had the guts to show up today," Teenage Girl #2 said.

Apparently Haru was failing at pretending to be Taylor because when the illusion smiled, the girls became increasingly suspicious. Haru asked innocently, "Why? Did something happen?"

Girl #2 remarked, "How long did you cry afterward?"

Again, Haru failed to placate the girls when he stated, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Girl #1 put her hand on Haru's head and squeezed as hard as she could, digging her fingernails into his scalp. "Listen, wimp, you already know that no matter what you say, no one is going to listen to you. No matter what you do, nothing will change. You should just give up and learn your place."

In return, Haru gripped the girl's wrist and squeezed the limb far more strongly than any ordinary teenage girl was capable of. The girl yelped and tried vainly to pull her arm away. Most of the class had noticed the unusual altercation but they ignored it completely.

"Will do, boss," everyone heard Taylor's voice say.

Before Haru could snap the bones in her arms (not like he couldn't fix it), girl #3 shoved him from behind into his desk and girl #1's wrist slipped from his grip. The dark skinned girl landed on her behind. Haru couldn't figure out how the girl had escaped his grasp. But before he could dwell on it for long, he noticed a particular girl with long, curly black hair standing in the doorway to the classroom.

"Hey, Taylor," he said to the girl in reality. No one else would hear it, however, because of the genjutsu illusion.

"What are you doing here?!" she exclaimed loudly.

"Oh, I came by to see you. To see how you've been holding up." Haru idly intercepted a punch with his palm and curled his fingers forward, painfully forcing Girl #1's right hand to bend backward. "Your friends aren't really nice."

"They're not my friends." Taylor looked around. "Why can't anyone hear us?"

"Because people only see what they want to see and the subconscious is very good at tuning out things that it doesn't think is important."

"What?"

"It's an illusion. I was just having some fun while I waited for you to show up."

Taylor shouted at Haru, "Stop it! You can't use your powers like this!"

Haru shoved the bully that had attacked him backward onto the ground again. "Is that so? Fine."

Haru dispelled the genjutsu illusion and half the class, including the teacher, screamed in panic at the stranger who had suddenly appeared where Taylor used to be.

"I should have warned you that people often can't handle the truth..." Haru shouted over the din.

* * *

"So, Taylor and..."

"Haru, ma'am."

"Taylor and Haru. Care to explain exactly what happened during Mr. Gladly's class today?" asked Principal Blackwell to the duo seated in front of her desk.

"Sure thing. See, I was looking for Taylor and some girls started messing with me. I was going to teach them a lesson but Taylor said I shouldn't. Everyone made a fuss though and the teacher told us to see you."

"Is this true, Taylor?"

"...yes," the girl answered.

"Haru...are you even a student here?" Blackwell asked.

He shrugged with his hands in the air. "No. But I could be a teacher if you're hiring."

"What is your last name, Haru?" Blackwell asked, her patience quickly thinning.

Haru's cheeks puffed out as he thought about how to answer. "See, that's a complicated question. Let's just go with Ikari."

"Haru Ikari?"

"Or Ikari Haru depending on where in the world I am. But just call me Haru."

There was a knock on the door. An office worker popped her head into the office and said, "Excuse me, the PRT is here. They're asking for your assistance in locating an unknown cape that might have infiltrated the school. He's wearing a black coat...and has red hair..."

Haru waved at the woman from his seat. She gaped and slammed the door shut.

He pointed at the door and asked, "Should I follow her or...?"

Taylor spoke, "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Meh, what's the worst that could happen?"

* * *

Haru walked out the front doors of the high school to face about three vans worth of nearly identically uniformed minions holding some kind of energy weapon. There was a man covered in technological looking armor holding a futuristic weapon.

"Greetings, humans of Brockton Bay, I come in..." Haru managed to say before he was covered head to toe in containment foam. Inside the foam, Haru thought to himself. "Energy weapons, right. At least it's comfy in here."


	4. Chapter 4

The Protectorate tinker, Armsmaster, spoke into the built-in microphone of his power armor helmet, "Shadow Stalker's unidentified cape neutralized. Preparing to transport to HQ." He was dubious that a cape would decide to debut by infiltrating a high school and terrorizing some teenage girls but it was enough reason to exercise a high level of caution. It seemed like overkill but it didn't hurt to be prepared for anything. It was easier to ask forgiveness than to ask permission.

PRT agents began to close in on the foam hill when they heard a booming voice declare, "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? HAHAHAHAHA." The foam surrounding Haru exploded away from him as his double Rasengans swirled around him and tore at the material like a chainsaw. Eventually, the spinning balls of chakra dissipated and Haru dusted the remaining foam from his coat.

Haru pointed at the armored cape. "Evildoer! I will not allow you to foam this high school for whatever nefarious purpose you have. I, pretty soldier sailor Haru, in the name of the moon, shall defeat you!"

Everyone wearing a PRT uniform turned to Armsmaster for their orders. The hero spoke, "What are you doing in this school?"

"I was visiting someone."

"I'm going to have to ask you to come with us."

"Never! I don't care what kind of offer your evil master wants to make. I will never compromise with evil!"

"I am Armsmaster of the Protectorate. I'm not evil."

"You have a hoard of nondescript goons, a massive deadly looking weapon, and a totally evil looking robot suit. I'm really supposed to believe that you're not evil?"

"Did you or did you not assault several teenage girls in this school?" Armsmaster changed the subject.

"Of course not. They attacked me! It's incredible what some people think they can get away with. My head still hurts from that one girl's fingernails," Haru whined, rubbing his scalp.

Armsmaster's lie detector had yet to alarm. "I think there's been a misunderstanding here."

"I won't give you any more chances to deceive me, evildoer. Even though I've made a vow not to kill, I can still punish scum like you just fine!" Haru shouted before he body flickered next to Armsmaster and stabbed his armor with a kunai. Before Armsmaster could react, Haru channeled electrical chakra through the kunai into the power armor and flickered out of the reach of Armsmaster's Halberd.

Armsmaster's built in HUD flickered red and listed damage readouts faster than most people would be able to understand. Manipulating his fingers inside the power armor's gloves, he facilitated emergency damage control, rebooting several systems and rerouting power. It took only a few seconds to regain control of his armor but Haru had already manage to incapacitate three members of the response team who were now unconscious on the ground.

The cape spoke into his radio, "Armsmaster here, requesting backup. Under attack by unknown cape. Powers unknown but for sure speedster."

"Roger. Miss Militia and Triumph are on the way. ETA two minutes," the radio crackled back to him.

"Alright, I just have to hold on for two minutes." Armsmaster gripped his Halberd and swung at the boy.

Haru looked over and realized he couldn't dodge the impending shockwave since he was holding a PRT agent above his head. He threw the hapless infantry away and braced himself. The blast crashed into his AT field, creating rippling waves of octagons. It wasn't enough to stop the blast completely and Haru was flung bodily into the wall of the high school, creating several small cracks in the concrete.

Haru got up to his feet and smirked. "You got some good tech." He pulled a folding knife from his sleeve. "Let's see how your weapon holds up to my Chibi-Kubi." Haru deflected Armsmaster's second shockwave with his AT field at an angle, looking like an invisible buckler over his left arm. The blade in his right hand began to glow brightly as Haru circled the tinker and looked for an opening to strike.

Haru wondered why the man in the robot suit was being so defensive. The helmeted minions also seemed to be staying back and not engaging. He threw a couple kunai at Armsmaster's suit, which bounced off the tinkertech armor. But instead of falling to the ground, they embedded themselves into the ground in a cross over Armsmaster's boot, anchoring it in place.

Unable to turn around, Armsmaster was easy prey for Haru's progressive knife which sliced through the Halberd's shaft like butter. Haru ended the fight in a pose looking away from his defeated foe, part of which included dramatically folding the progressive knife and stashing it in his sleeve.

Haru spoke to the humiliated Protectorate member, "Now turn yourself in to the police and renounce your evil ways or I will punish you a second time!"

"I'm with the PRT, you moron!" Armsmaster shouted. "We're on the police's side!"

"What really?" Haru asked.

Armsmaster groaned and covered his face with his hand. "Yes, really."

"Then you should have said so in the first place!"

"I did!"

"No, you didn't! You tried to drown me in foam!"

"And then I said I was with the Protectorate."

"Which I assume you're going to tell me isn't some kind of League of Evil."

"No, it's not."

"Well, shit...sorry?" Haru offered.

Another armored van showed up, this time with Miss Militia on top of it with a high caliber sniper rifle trained on Haru's chest. "Get down on the ground with your hands behind your head!" she shouted.

The teenage boy asked Armsmaster, "Are you going to tell me that she's a good guy too?"

This time, no longer holding his destroyed Halberd, Armsmaster was holding his head in both of his hands. "Yes."

"Are you going to tell her not to shoot me?"

"That depends on whether or not you cooperate."

"Wow, you're a massive douche."

"Whatever."

* * *

Inside the PRT armored van, Haru was handcuffed and seated next to Armsmaster. Miss Militia sat next to Triumph, who spoke to the boy. "So, Haru, was it? Care to explain what happened back there?"

Haru shrugged. "I don't know why everyone keeps attacking me. I was just defending myself from you guys. I didn't know what containment foam was. I guess it's just a big misunderstanding."

Triumph looked over at Armsmaster who said nothing. Then the gladiator armor clad cape asked, "How did you not know about the Parahuman Response Team?

Haru shrugged again. "I'm new in town."

Triumph again checked with Armsmaster to see if the young man was lying. The tinker simply sighed and continued to watch the boy. "Then where did you come from, Haru?"

"I dunno. The sky?"

"Are you saying you don't remember where you were until you appeared in Brockton Bay?"

"Like amnesia? Not really. It's kind of hard to explain. I don't know how I got here but I'm pretty sure I was in Japan. I couldn't tell you whether or not I've forgotten anything because it doesn't seem like I have. It's like there was never any information about the phenomenon in the first place. Hm, maybe it's not even really me. I might be a clone. I'm sure I'm not an android though."

"He talks in circles but the kid doesn't seem to be lying."

"If I were capable of giving you a straight answer, I would. Also, sorry about breaking your toy. You can fix it, right?" Haru asked, patting Armsmaster on the shoulder.

Armsmaster replied, "I see ordinary handcuffs are useless on you."

"Haha, yeah. I know you insisted I wear them but they seriously get in the way, you know?"

Miss Militia burst into laughter. Wiping a tear, she declared, "I like this kid! Have you considered joining the Wards, Haru?"

"What are the Wards? A team of superhero sidekicks?"

Triumph stepped into answer, "Kind of. They're a division of the Protectorate for parahumans who are still younger than 18. Like the Protectorate, they fight crime and help people."

"Sounds like buckets of fun. I don't know how old I am but I'm pretty sure I'm older enough to drink though."

Armsmaster immediately said, "Lie."

"I'm still older than I look though."

Armsmaster said nothing.

"Oh, hey, if I know someone with superpowers, can they join the Wards?" Haru asked.

"Yes, assuming they're not old enough to join the Protectorate and wish to do good with their powers," Triumph answered.

Miss Militia asked the boy, "Capes usually have a special name to identify themselves with in order to mask their identities. I am Miss Militia and this is Triumph and finally we have Armsmaster. Do you have a name you wish to officially be known by?"

"Is Haru not good enough for you?"

Armsmaster was the one to address this question, "You wouldn't be the first cape to let your identity be known publically but even they have cape names that they go by, if only to help others remember what your powers are. On that note, I'd like to know exactly what your power is."

"Hm...powers...powers like what?"

"What can you do?" Armsmaster clarified.

"I can do a lot of things. I wouldn't really call them superpowers or anything though."

Miss Militia tried to explain, "For example, I can make weapons and Triumph can make sonic shockwaves and Armsmaster is a tinker, meaning he can create advanced technology. So what do you do?"

"Is that it? You guys can only do one thing?" Haru asked in confusion.

The female Protectorate explained again, "There's more to it but parahumans usually only have one or two or maybe even three powers."

Haru rubbed his chin in contemplation. "I guess you could say that I can manipulate chakra and make forcefields. Those are pretty broad statements though."

Armsmaster asked, "What does that mean exactly?"

"Hm...I guess the best way to describe it is to call it a rudimentary magic, except instead of using an external power source, you manipulate reality through your body's own energies."

Armsmaster scoffed, "Magic?"

"Not really. But kinda." Once again, Haru shrugged, unable to answer the heroes' questions.

"It's about as good an explanation as any other parahuman theory," said Triumph.

The van stopped and the driver spoke, "We've arrived."

Armsmaster opened the door of the vehicle and revealed the plain looking PRT HQ.

* * *

Director Piggot and Miss Militia stood behind a one-way mirror watching Haru scribble on a sheet of paper at a steel table.

"So this is our mystery cape?" the director asked.

"He's very interesting. Did you see his eyes? Given the situation, I wouldn't discount the possibility of him being a case 53. We gave him a list of the different power categories and let him try to figure out where he falls. He's been staring at that piece of paper for the last ten minutes."

"And he defeated Armsmaster?"

"The boy claims he mistook Armsmaster for a villain and was defending himself. By the time we arrived, Armsmaster was completely disabled and a quarter of the PRT was taken out nonlethally."

Haru's voice came in over a speaker, "Okay, I'm done. I'm feeling hungry so I'm gonna get some lunch. Do me a favor and give Armsmaster his wallet back for me."

The ninja picked the lock to the interrogation room with a chakra string and disappeared, wrapped in a genjutsu for good measure.

Miss Militia had asked Haru to rate himself on a scale from one to ten in twelve categories, not explaining that this was what the PRT does for any new cape. Each category had a short explanation with a few examples.

There was a question mark next to Trump and a smattering of random numbers on the bottom of the paper in no particular order or arrangement. Instead of ink, the numbers seemed to have been burned into the paper by a laser.

The largest number had been circled and underlined. "36?" Upon seeing it, Director Piggot first wondered why the boy had added the numbers together and then she immediately realized it was because he had added his self-surveyed PRT ratings together.

She dialed a number on the wall-phone intercom. "Cafeteria, this is Piggot. Tell me if you see a red-haired boy with a black coat down there." Then Director Piggot rubbed her forehead as she dialed another number. "Armsmaster, we found your wallet..."


	5. Chapter 5

Taylor watched Haru wave at her as he entered the PRT transport. She waved back through the window as the van drove away.

"So who's the weirdo?" Sophia asked as she walked up to Taylor. Flanked by Emma and Madison, she continued, "Got a freak boyfriend to protect you? Fight your battles for you?"

"Leave me alone, Sophia."

"Let me guess, he was the one who let you out yesterday? It's a shame. He should have left you where you belong."

Taylor's knuckles turned white as she clenched her fist. She couldn't help but remember the horror she endured...all the blood and moistness...how she could barely breathe...how she had been all alone...

Sophia sensed weakness. "I bet he must have thought you were really pretty coming out of that locker."

Emma added, "I'm surprised you managed to stop crying long enough to go to school. I didn't expect you back for a week at least."

There was a feeling inside Taylor, like something sacred had been irreparably scratched, like her mother's grave had been trampled upon. While her conscious mind tried to fix the problem, the rest of her filled with fear. She didn't want to go back to that dark, terrifying hellhole. She wouldn't let them put her back there.

Before she realized it, her fist had smashed into Emma's face.

* * *

"Fighting at school? This isn't like you, Taylor!" Danny Hebert said to his daughter.

How could she explain what they did to her? She had let her guard down and they had done something so horrible that no one would believe her if she told anyone what happened.

"I'm sorry..."

"Alan told me he was going to sue!" Danny said as he drove home, his hands high on the steering wheel. "I thought the bullying stopped. What happened?"

"Nothing..." Taylor said as she rubbed her scraped knuckles. The skinny girl had been shoved onto the ground and kicked repeatedly. The bullies had then gotten a teacher and spun the story to get Taylor suspended for three days. The injustice still burned within her, making her aching muscles tighten reflexively.

She could feel various insects fade in and out of her awareness as her father drove her home. Taylor closed her eyes and watched the world go by through her newfound senses. Thousands of data painted a picture of the street, and the next street over, colored in piece by piece.

Danny spoke, "You know you can talk to me right? If something is bothering you, you can talk to me and whatever it is, I'll listen."

She wondered, "Why do I have these powers? I can't even defend myself from bullies. Why me?"

She wondered what the boy who saved her was doing.

* * *

"Let me get this straight. You want me to tell you all of my abilities and then join your superhero team where you would tell me what to do every day for God knows how long and all for a lousy paycheck?"

"To put it bluntly, yes," answered Director Piggot.

"And if I refuse?"

"It's in your best interests. It's rare for powerful, unaffiliated capes to appear. You will eventually be approached by other organizations who might not be as understanding as the PRT."

"I'm pretty sure I can take care of myself."

"I'm sure you can. It's just that you could do this city a lot of good. The other problem is that you don't seem to have any identification of any sort. It wouldn't be a problem anymore if you joined the Wards."

"I hope you aren't threatening me, Director Piggot."

"All I'm saying is that you don't seem to have a high school diploma. And as director of the PRT East-North-East, it is my responsibility to make sure that all parahumans receive a quality high school education. I'm sure your new friend Armsmaster would love to ensure you make it safely to school each and every day."

"I kicked his ass once already. What make you think he'll be able to do anything?"

"You shouldn't underestimate what a highly motivated tinker is capable of."

"Look, I know this girl who has super powers. She can control bugs. Can you just put her in the Wards instead?"

"Please don't change the subject, Mr. Ikari."

"That's not really my last name."

"It could be if you joined the Wards. The PRT is entirely capable of giving you whatever identity you wish."

Haru sighed deeply. "If you want me to join the Wards, my condition is that I get one hour alone with you to pick your brain for information, starting now. Also, after a month, I get to leave if I have a good reason."

"What do you mean by 'pick my brain'?" Piggot asked suspiciously.

"Don't worry, it won't hurt a bit," Haru said as Piggot fell unconscious in front of him, laying on the table like she was taking a nap.

Haru placed his hand on the director's head and used a jutsu he learned from Inoichi many years ago.

* * *

Miss Militia hit the alarm the moment Piggot's head hit the table. She spoke into the intercom in her half of the room, "Piggot down. Send reinforcements. Master-Stranger protocols in effect."

The glowing, crackling energy that she wielded formed a pair of handguns which she emptied into the one-way mirror. The glass shattered and fell away, revealing a solid concrete wall between her and her target.

The female cape ran out and tried to open the door to the interrogation room. Unfortunately, the door had been welded shut by another of Haru's Kage Bunshin clones.

She took out her cell phone. "Triumph, I need you here NOW."


	6. Chapter 6

"I'm highly trained in melee and long range combat. You could give me a minor brute, mover, shaker, and blaster ratings to accommodate for my combat abilities. I can't fly but I have something that essentially amounts to telekinesis. I have the ability to influence crows, so you could give me a small master rating there. And as I've demonstrated, I also have healing capabilities, although nothing as overtly powerful as Panacea's ability. I have a variety of other abilities which include modifying my appearance and putting people to sleep from a distance. I'll give you that much for now, Emily. I don't make it a habit to let all my secrets out of the bag at once."

Emily Piggot stretched her legs, feeling the muscles work properly like they had so many years ago.

"I didn't ask for this," she said bitterly. Much of excess weight had been used up in the healing process. Her tailored business suit was now several sizes too large for her.

"And you wouldn't have let me if you had a choice. Just accept it. It was more for my own reasons than for your sake. You're going to be my boss, after all. Now, are you ready to face your adoring public?"

"How long was I asleep?"

"Only about thirty minutes. I'm surprised they haven't broken through yet, or I would be if I didn't know PRT regulations now." With a few modifications, earth release techniques worked surprisingly well with concrete. "I'm going out for a while. You can register me at Arcadia as Haru Ikari. My cape name will be Zetsu. I'll be back before evening patrols start. I'll need a cell phone and bank account." He handed her a card. "Use this for setting up my identity."

Director Piggot looked at the identification card. "But this is..."

"I already told you that I can change my appearance. What makes you think this is actually what I look like?"

Haru kicked open the door to the interrogation room and leaped out before a throng of highly armed PRT agents swarmed Director Piggot. None of them saw him leave, even though their high tech helmet cams. Only when the boy was long gone did they see him on recorded video footage, walking through the mass of PRT suits as if he were invisible.

* * *

"To Bugs:

Are you still around? I wanted to ask you if you'd join the Wards with me. Someone made me an offer I couldn't refuse and I figure it'd be more fun if you were around.

-Haru"

It wasn't even a few minutes before he received a response.

"Yes."

He sent another PM back.

"To Bugs:

I'll be at the PRT building at 4. See you there.

-Haru"

With a decent amount of time left before he had to return, Haru started making a permanent account on the PHO forums.

* * *

Dragon watched the exchange with mild interest. Her analysis software had flagged Haru's PMs as probably related to the incident at PRT HQ. The cameras of Haru's interrogation had been disabled by an excess of electrical shock or had been physically covered with concrete.

Details were limited but she knew that a new cape named Zetsu had been registered as a Ward and that Haru Ikari was to be enrolled in Arcadia. She didn't need to be a genius AI to put two and two together.

She marked the newly created account 'Zetsu' as a verified cape and resumed her conversation with Armsmaster, helping him repair his power armor. Dragon wished Colin would simply tell her what happened but he was being extra tightlipped about his fight. She supposed she would simply examine the debriefing of the encounter when it was released to her to find out who hurt Colin so badly. If it happened to be this 'Zetsu' then she was would make him pay, but only within the bounds of what her programming allowed, of course. That still left a lot of leeway for the greatest tinker in the world.

* * *

"Hey, Dad?" Taylor said as she walked into the kitchen.

Her father had decided to take the day off work and was holding a cup of cold coffee, wondering where he had gone wrong as a father.

"Dad, I want to talk to you about something," she said as she sat across from him at the table.

"Taylor?"

Unable to look her father in the eye, Taylor instead focused on the cup in his hands. "I want to...no, I'm going to join the Wards."

"The Wards? But that means..."

"Yeah. It happened yesterday...because of the bullying."

"So, um, what...what can you do?"

"I can control bugs," Taylor admitted. "I haven't really tried it out much but I can sense all the bugs near me up to about a block away."

A house fly landed on the table between them and walked in figure eights to demonstrate Taylor's ability.

"Why the Wards though? Can't you just wait a little while? Be a normal girl and figure things out?" Danny asked.

Taylor took a minute to decide her future. But she wasn't a normal girl anymore. And there wasn't going to be a better time than now to make a difference in her life.

"They can help me with my power. And I'll be able to help people. I have to do this, Dad."

Danny sighed and relented, "I guess you'll be better off with the Wards than by yourself. I just...I'm going to worry about you. I don't want anything to happen to you." He rubbed the coffee mug anxiously.

Taylor stood up and walked around the table to hug her father. "Things have already happened, Dad. I think...we just have to make the most of it...Also, can I get a ride downtown?"


	7. Chapter 7

"Well, at least it's not NERV," Haru remarked to himself as he entered the lobby of the PRT HQ and sat down to wait for Taylor. He pulled out a book to read to pass the time.

* * *

"Haru?" Taylor asked. She had entered the building with her father about five minutes to four. "What are you reading?"

Haru snapped the book shut and shunted it into his coat. Taylor caught a glimpse of two people running on the cover, like one was chasing the other. "Romance novel. Who's this?"

"It's my father."

"Danny Hebert. Nice to meet you. And you are?"

"Hello, my name is Haru." The boy took Danny's outstretched hand in a firm handshake. "I have a couple classes with Taylor. What brings you guys here?"

Danny was at a loss for words. Taylor spoke, "Apparently I'm a witness to some new cape and they wanted to ask me some questions." She flashed him a small grin.

"Did you see me and Armsmaster then? Dude, I kicked his ass!" Haru exclaimed. "So yeah, I told them I wanted to be called Zetsu and I guess I'm gonna have to wear my hood up from now on." He put up his hand for a high five.

Taylor patted her hand to his. Her grin grew a little bit.

"Come on, they're expecting us," he said as he led them to the reception desk.

* * *

"So what have you heard about the new cape?" Clockblocker asked Kid Win as they sat around in their costumes before patrols. Piggot had wanted everyone to meet the two new members. "I heard he took down Armsmaster."

"I heard he singlehandedly took down a legion of PRT inside of HQ and boned Piggy in her office," Kid Win joked. Vista frowned, and Shadow Stalker ignored them. Aegis and Gallant had yet to arrive.

A much sleeker looking Emily Piggot walked into the Ward's resting room. Alongside her was a skinny, black haired girl in casual clothes and a boy in a black coat with the hood pulled over his face.

"These two will be joining the wards. The girl hasn't chosen a cape name yet. The one in black will be called Zetsu."

"What kind of name is Zetsu?" Clockblocker asked.

"I did not have much time to deliberate. I believed it would be sufficient," Zetsu answered.

Kid Win asked the obvious question, "So what do you guys do?"

"Oh, hi, I can control bugs. I'm still working on a name," Taylor said sheepishly. "I just triggered yesterday so..."

Kid Win winced and then tried his best to smile. "Ooh, sorry."

"I can edit the perception of reality of the people near me," Zetsu answered automatically.

Vista asked, "What does that mean?"

Zetsu spoke in the minds of everyone in the room, "It means I can control what you see and hear and feel."

Vista scrambled away in surprise. Clockblocker quipped, "Stranger danger much?"

"I suppose I deserve a high stranger rating," Zetsu admitted.

Kid Win managed to move his mouth enough to ask, "Woah, are you telepathic?"

"To my knowledge, there is no such thing as telepathy. I cannot read your mind or control your thoughts. I can only influence your senses."

Director Piggot coughed and said, "Aegis and Gallant will be by soon."

"Before you go, I want to make sure that I am to attend Arcadia tomorrow," Zetsu said.

"Yes, everything has been set up," Emily said.

"And she will be joining me, correct?" Zetsu asked, pointing at Taylor with his thumb.

"Yes, yes. We're arranging it. You and her start tomorrow."

Zetsu looked satisfied and wandered away.

"Woah, what a jerk," Clockblocker decided.

Taylor didn't say anything to that.

* * *

Clockblocker and Vista were introducing themselves when Aegis and Gallant arrived.

"Aegis! Gallant! Come meet the new Wards!" Clockblocker shouted.

Gallant walked up to Taylor and asked, "Hello, what's your name?"

"You're Gallant! And you're Aegis. Wow, hi, we're trying to figure out what to call myself. This is blowing my mind that I'm going to be working with you guys."

Aegis asked, "So what can you do?"

Taylor nervously answered, "I can control bugs." She was getting used to saying that.

"So a bug cape. What about Bug Girl?" Gallant suggested.

Taylor instantly replied, "Ew, no."

"What about Butterfly or Monarch?" suggested Vista.

"How about Swarm or Skitter?" chirped Kid Win.

"Khepri is an Egyptian god depicted as having the head of a Scarab." Zetsu had taken an interest in mythology, studying it between angel attacks.

Taylor contemplated for a moment before speaking, "Just give me some time to decide. I'll figure something out."

Gallant walked up to Zetsu, who was petite in comparison to the emotion controlling cape. His voice turned cold, "And you are?"

A crazed grin spread over Zetsu's face. "Don't worry, Gallant. I won't kill anyone here. They're not worth my time. I know you can feel it...my urge to kill...I won't kill anyone here..."

"Jesus Christ, you freak, get away from me!" he screamed.

Aegis put his hand on Gallant's shoulder and spoke, "Is something wrong? You seem upset."

"Didn't you hear it? Hear him saying...?"

In the same cold voice he had used with everyone else, Zetsu spoke, "I haven't said anything to you, Gallant."

"You stay away from me!" Gallant warned as he backed away from the boy.

Zetsu smiled, wider than any human being would normally be capable of, and Gallant ran away screaming.

* * *

"Why are you staring at me?" was the first thing Shadow Stalker said all day.

"You seem familiar," Zetsu said with a cheshire grin on his face. "You remind me of someone I know. Someone who betrayed everyone who ever cared for him in the search of power, someone who killed countless people in a fruitless quest for revenge."

"I'm not whoever you're talking about."

"Yeah, he was my teammate." Zetsu's grin disappeared, leaving the visible portion of his face blank and cold. "Or rather, what he could have become."

"Whatever," she said.

"Right. Whatever. Sorry. I don't know what I'm talking about. It all tends to blend together sometimes." Zetsu's smile returned to his face. He extended his hand. "I'm looking forward to working with you."

Shadow Stalker walked away and out of the room, bile rising in her throat.

"No, she reminds me of someone else. She reminds me of Kabuto."

Zetsu decided he would get to know Shadow Stalker better.

* * *

"When do you think we'll get to go out and fight crime?" Taylor asked after they had left the Wards for the day.

"When they're sure we know what will happen to us if we step out of line," Haru answered.

"So, Zetsu..."

"Don't call me that unless it is absolutely necessary. Please...don't."

"You were really creepy back there, Haru."

"I'm not a good person, Taylor. Sometimes, I forget what it means to be human, to be a person. Zetsu is a mask, sure, but he is based off a part of me that is very real. You would do well to remember that."

"But you were so nice...to me...that day..."

"Then remember that too. Just don't expect too much of me. Maybe if I were a normal person, if I hadn't gone through everything I've experienced, then Zetsu wouldn't exist. But then again, I probably wouldn't be here eating ice cream with you right now either."

Taylor had a giant scoop of chocolate on a sugar cone and Haru had a giant scoop of French vanilla in a cake cone.

"I just don't think you're a bad person, Haru."

"But I'm not a good person either. I'm weird, aren't I?"

"You realize you're talking to someone who can control insects, right?"

"Yeah, but at least they don't live inside you when you're not using them."

"What."


	8. Chapter 8

Taylor Hebert stared at the pile of textbooks she would no longer need. Thanks to her new friend, she would never again have to suffer any more cruelty and injustice at Winslow High. She would never have to see Sophia or Madison ever again. Maybe she could even put Emma behind her. In the blink of an eye, her life had changed. She was going to  _Arcadia_.

Not only was she changing schools, she was going to be in the Wards. She was going to be a hero. And it was all thanks to Haru. After she decided on her cape name, Taylor would do something nice for Haru, as thanks.

She lazily ordered a roach to skitter over her desk.

* * *

Emily Piggot sipped a cup of coffee at her desk.

The boy was dangerous, mentally unstable, and uncontrollable. And even more frightening was that he held to his word and joined the Wards. She knew that the Wards wasn't the right place for the boy. Even if Zetsu wasn't a case 53, the boy was likely more powerful than Eidolon. It wasn't far to think he might even be something like Scion, just an unexplainable human shaped being.

He had read her memories and healed her old wounds. And then he had willingly come into the Wards as he said he would. She would never have told him to join the Wards if she had known what he was capable of beforehand. Now, the boy was a security risk and his motives and connections were unfathomable.

What scared her the most was that she felt that she could trust him. She wanted to kill him for all the paperwork he had caused her the last couple days but Emily felt hopeful that Zetsu would be a good thing for the city in the end. Hopefully she'd be able to convince her superiors to give him a chance.

* * *

Arcadia was bright and clean and fascinating. Haru wandered the halls, looking for her first class. Instead of her traditional Chinese silk clothes, she was wearing a white hoodie and a pleated skirt. This was the first time since her first life that she had attended an American high school and she was glad to be rid of Japanese history classes.

She entered a classroom and asked, "Is this freshman English?"

The middle aged man behind the desk in the corner answered, "Yes. Another new student? You can sit in the back with the other transfer student until we change the arranged seating again."

Haru took a seat in the back row next to a scrawny teenage girl wearing a plain t-shirt.

"Is that what you look like under your coat?" Taylor whispered as Haru sat down.

"Huh? I'm wearing a sweatshirt," Haru answered.

"I mean, is than an illusion or...?"

The redhaired girl moved away from the teen. "I don't understand what you're talking about. If you're talking about my chest, yes, it's real," she answered, slightly offended. It wasn't her fault that she was well-endowed. Or rather, it wasn't her fault that chakra tended to make for 'health' ninja.

"Sorry, I must have mistaken you for someone else," Taylor said, noticing that the girl's eyes were a matching brown and that the girl's voice was different from the boy that had saved her.

"That's okay. At this one high school near Tokyo, there was a girl who looked a lot like me too. We ended up becoming really good friends. We used to spar all the time before and after school. She was really strong. And her brother was a really strong martial artist too. Oh, sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Haru Ikari.  _Yoroshiku,_ " she said with a tiny bow in her seat. She then extended her hand to the girl next to her.

Taylor decided to play along and shook Haru's hand. "It's nice to meet you."

* * *

"Are you ready for your power evaluation, Zetsu?" Piggot asked over the testing area loudspeaker.

"I told you that while my real body is at school, I will only be at half strength. I will proceed as long as you understand that these test results will be inaccurate," Zetsu answered mechanically.

"Understood. We'll start with some basic combat parameters. Please destroy the target in whatever way you like," Piggot said as a circular target rose about 50 meters from Zetsu. Next to her in the observation deck was Armsmaster who was equipped with a different Halberd than the day before. His helmet computer was running multiple analysis programs as he observed the new Ward.

"Well, as long as I'm showing off..." Zetsu muttered to himself. In a split second, he withdrew a trio of kunai from the storage seal and flung them simultaneously into the center of the target, shattering the small plastic disc.

Armsmaster triple checked his HUD before telling Director Piggot, "The projectiles reached a top speed of over two hundred miles per hour. That's parahuman territory."

Piggot announced, "That was good, Zetsu. Please destroy this next target using a different method than the first one." She pressed a button on the console and another target appeared from the floor nearby the ruins of the first target.

Zetsu gathered a ball of swirling fire in his right hand and threw it into the disc, immolating and tearing apart the plastic at the same time.

"Again, please choose a different method for this next target."

Zetsu closed the distance in an instant with a body flicker technique and smashed the back of his hand into the target.

For the next target, he sliced the plastic to ribbons with razor thin chakra threads. The next one he blew apart with a ki blast. Then he stopped the testing to announce, "My other attack is too destructive for this room and the power required would cause this instance of myself to cease."

Piggot and Armsmaster then had the boy smash force sensors, react to foam projectiles, and defend against laser blasts with his forcefield. Eventually Piggot spoke solemnly and with a tinge of fear, "Stranger 10. Striker 2. Shaker 3. Blaster 7. Brute 7. Mover 5."

"Are you kidding? That would put him on the level of Eidolon," Armsmaster said in disbelief.

The director pushed the intercom button to ask the boy, "Zetsu, do you think there are any more powers that should be noted for your handler's sake?"

"If you noted the telekinesis then the only other major thing would be the ability to sense life. Every morning I attune myself to the life energies of nature which lets me know the position and general status of all complex life nearby."

Piggot groaned and rested her face against her palm. "That's a thinker rating, isn't it?"

Armsmaster was equally as exasperated. "I'm fine with just not mentioning it. He's already got enough numbers as is."

Zetsu continued, "I can ordinarily order crows to do my bidding but they are a bit dumber than the crows I'm used to. I'm also adept at making storage seals that allow me to store practically anything indefinitely."

Armsmaster's eye twinkled in interest. "You have unlimited storage capacity in that coat of yours?"

Zetsu shrugged. "Let's say yes for simplicity sake."

Emily Piggot groaned once again and wondered how much coffee she would need to finish all the paperwork to cover up everything that had happened here today. Not to mention all the revisions to SOP that Zetsu's abilities required. Passwords and electronic cameras were useless if Zetsu's target was convinced they were hearing the correct password and seeing nothing of interest on electronic monitors. It was probably for the best that Zetsu was at 'half strength'. Eidolon wouldn't have a chance otherwise.


	9. Chapter 9

"What's wrong?" Dragon asked Armsmaster through one of the monitors at his workbench. The desk was littered with tools and components and currently the salvaged remains of his late Halberd.

"Nothing I can talk about, Dragon," he said in frustration, staring at the various projects he had been working on.

"Then tell me something you CAN talk about about," she said gently to the fellow tinker.

"Have you ever worked so hard for something, only to be outdone by someone who isn't even trying?" he asked futilely. Of course Dragon, the best tinker in the world, never felt that way.

"This is about that boy isn't it? What did he do this time? Did he hurt you?" Dragon slowly asked.

"He didn't do anything. I don't want to talk about it. I just need to be alone for a while, okay?" Armsmaster pleaded.

Dragon decided. Zetsu would pay. It didn't matter that he was a Ward. She would find a way to prove he was a villain and then he would pay for hurting Armsmaster.

* * *

Haru was in the bathroom when a blond haired boy approached Taylor during lunch. He smiled and extended his hand and asked, "So, how are you liking Arcadia?"

Taylor stared at the boy for a moment before taking his hand cautiously. "I like it. Have we met before? You seem kind of familiar. Do we have class together?"

"I'm Chris. And you're Taylor right? We had math together last period. And we met last night, if you catch my drift."

Taylor's mouth gaped as she recognized Kid Win. "You're...are you...are you supposed to...do this? Talking to each other outside?"

Chris chuckled. "I don't think you're going to tell anyone so it's fine. It's kind of nice to be able to talk to a girl. Not that I don't talk to girls. What I mean is Vista is only in middle school and Shadow Stalker goes to a different school. It's nice to be able to talk to someone my own age. If you're not doing anything tonight, you can come with..."

A piercing scream came from the girls' bathroom.

Taylor told Chris, "Wait here," before she ventured inside.

* * *

The female Haru Ikari was hunched over the sink just below a smashed mirror. Fragments of glass littered the counter having fallen away from the spider-webbing cracks. Only the sound of the running sink filled the room.

"Haru? Are you okay?" Taylor asked gently. "Did you hurt yourself?"

"Do I know you?" Haru replied coldly. "No, I do know you. Taylor." The girl turned around slowly and turned off the sink. Her wet hair clung to her face like trickling blood. "I'm sorry. I have problems with my memories when I'm like this. Right? We met…earlier this week. We're superheroes. I'm sorry. This is why I tend to stay in guy form. I thought it would have been okay since…I was somewhere new. Sorry."

Taylor crept closer. Just in case, she took attendance of nearby bugs. "What happened to you, Haru?"

"I'm okay," she said as she pulled her hair back. "Sometimes I think it's better to forget things but then I end up forgetting too much. And I lose myself. And I can't do that anymore."

"I don't quite understand…" Taylor reached out her hand to touch Haru's shoulder. "Is there something I can do to help?"

"No. I'll be fine. I'm sorry you had to see that." Haru ignored the gesture and raised her fists to her chest. She closed her eyes and the water flew away from her with a 'shahhhh' sound, falling in droplets around her and leaving her dry.

"Woah, is that one of your powers, Haru?"

"Oh, no, it's just something I figured out how to do. I could try to teach you later, maybe," Haru answered timidly.

Chris's voice sounded from outside the bathroom, "Are you two okay in there?"

Taylor jerked her head as she realized how long she had left Chris outside. "Haru, have you met Chris yet? Let's go outside."

"Chris? Like 'Kid Win' Chris Finklestein?" Haru asked. Skimming Piggot's mind had given him the identity of all of the known capes in Brockton Bay.

"That's his last name? Seriously?" Taylor spat incredulously.

"Why not? But if that's the Chris you're talking about, he's still outside waiting for us."

* * *

"Hey, you're Panacea, right? I'm Zetsu, a new Ward. I figured I could maybe get Director Piggot to hate me less if I helped out at the local hospital."

Panacea, also known as Amy Dallon, furrowed her face in suspicion. "I've never heard of you before."

"Well, same to you until a couple days ago," Zetsu replied. "You just heal people? I'm moderately capable at healing. I guess I'll just get to work then." The black coat clad boy began to walk away, intending to wander through the hospital, but was stopped by Panacea.

"Wait a second, what do you do exactly?" she asked.

"I do a lot of things." Zetsu's expression was hidden by his coat's hood. "You've probably got me beat on the putting people back together metric, if the reports regarding you are correct, but I'm no slouch either."

Panacea was still unconvinced of the professed character of the shady figure before her. "You didn't exactly answer my question."

"Fine, let's have a demonstration!" Zetsu exclaimed, pointing a finger to the ceiling. "Whoever can heal the most people in one hour wins! It's the 'Super Powered Speed Healing Competition!"

Amy sighed. "This is a waste of time. I could be healing people as we speak."

"Exactly! I've already started on the emergency room patients. You're gonna have to work hard to keep up." It probably wasn't fair that Zetsu had already sent out a clone for each floor of the hospital. He would have to leave disease work to Amy but medic-nin techniques were perfectly suited to minor injuries and trauma. He couldn't regrow anyone's limbs but no one was going to die on his watch while he still had chakra to burn.

* * *

A steam whistle sounded throughout the hospital, its source being a wide-area genjutsu, and Zetsu wiped his brow despite not being sweaty whatsoever. "Alright, I'm done. Time to head back to headquarters."

The hospital had never been so empty of waiting patients. Zetsu's diagnostic jutsus expedited doctor's visits and the ER was completely empty. It had only taken the staff a short while to adjust to the cape's assistance but they had been glad for it. The leftovers were only the cases that Zetsu couldn't help, such as diseases that hadn't existed in Konoha or preexisting conditions that fell outside the realm of general medical jutsu.

"Zetsu, I'm sorry. I could never have done so much on my own. You helped so many people today," Panacea apologized sincerely. Zetsu had taken so much work off her shoulders and he allowed her to concentrate her efforts on where it was needed most.

"No big. It was kinda fun. I might do it again someday," he replied nonchalantly.

Panacea paused. "Wait, you aren't coming back tomorrow?"

Zetsu shrugged in response. "Meh. Like I said, it was fun, but I'm pretty much spent at this point so I'm calling it quits."

"What do you mean? It's only been an hour," Panacea remarked as she glanced at the wall clock.

"Can't be too careful. Don't want to burn myself out. Gotta conserve energy in case I need it later, especially since there's a lot I don't know about Brockton Bay. Did you know they have a ton of parahumans here? It's crazy."

Panacea grew visibly upset. "What?! You're just  _stopping_  because you feel  _tired_? But you're not even going to come back? You can do so much good but…"

"Whatevs. I don't really care. I just stopped by cause the hospital seemed extra busy and I could use the brownie points."

"That is the most selfish thing I have ever heard. How can you call yourself a Ward and just let people suffer like that?" Panacea demanded.

"Why do I have to do it? Isn't that what doctors do?" Zetsu countered.

"Because you're the only one who can!" she screamed.

"The way I see it, I can do whatever I want as long as I don't break any rules. I'll come back and fix up some more people if I feel like it."

"What the hell is wrong with you? That way of thinking is just so…so…," she yelled. "It's WRONG. You can't just…leave someone to die if you can do something."

"But I've done that a lot already. I've saved people. I've let them die. I don't care."

"How can you be so cruel? Are you even a human being?" she shouted, her voice reverberating down the hospital hallways. She attempted to grab Zetsu's wrist, intending to glimpse the boy's physiology, but her hand was stopped by painful sparks of electricity. She looked down at the younger boy's hood and tried to imagine the person who could say such things. She asked, "You are human, right?"

"Sure," Zetsu answered before he backed away, flying dozens of meters in a single bound backward. As he was leaving, he shouted back, "It was nice working with you, Amy." The boy melted into the darkest corner of the hall and Panacea was left speechless for the next two minutes before she was paged over the intercom.


	10. Chapter 10

Haru was splayed out on a PRT lobby couch, sleeping in only a white t-shirt and black shorts. A small blanket covered one of his legs while the other leg was hanging over the back of the couch. The legitimate visitors to the PRT building gave the sleeping boy a wide berth.

Armsmaster was about to head out for patrol when he noticed the boy. He stood in front of the couch, looking grimly at the scene in full armor. He attempted to smack the boy with his newly repaired Halberd when Haru unconsciously slashed through the handle with a kunai in his sleep.

"WAKE UP!" Armsmaster shouted. The built-in speakers of his suit rumbled hard enough to shake the entire building.

"No. It's late," Haru replied sleepily. He pointed to an analogue alarm clock that was on the floor nearby. It was one in the afternoon.

"Shouldn't you be at school?" Armsmaster scolded. "You're a Ward, aren't you?"

"I AM at school. I can make clones of myself. Now, leave me alone. I'm tired from using a lot of chakra last night when I was at the hospital."

Armsmaster paused. It wasn't enough that the kid had several Capes worth of powers. He had to have even more that he could casually add to the list. A quick check of Arcadia's attendance records through his helmet HUD proved the boy's claim.

"I am ordering you to get up. If you have nothing better to do, you can come with me on patrol."

Haru rolled over and tied his long, crimson hair into a ponytail and waved his arms, miming the action of putting on a coat. The seals in his wrist activated and his coat appeared around him as if he had been holding it and putting it on normally. He picked up the alarm clock and it disappeared.

"Fine."

* * *

"So, do we get to blow up any badguys today?" Haru asked over his PRT headset as he bounded across rooftops and building faces.

Armsmaster's blue armor and the grappling hook built into the Halberd Mark II sped him along behind the exuberant boy. "Take this seriously. We are merely here to make our presence known and to intervene only if there is a crime being commited."

"But that's boring," Haru whined.

In an annoyed voice, Armsmaster responded, "Boring is good."

"So Asian Bad Boy gang members accosting civilians is bad?" Haru noted, landing on a rooftop above the scene. Apparently the ABB members were blocking the way of a trio of pedestrians, outnumbering them three to one. "I'm making our presence known, boss!" he announced as he landed between the two groups.

"No, wait…goddamit," Armsmaster swore into his microphone.

The pedestrians fell backward and the gang members pulled out handguns and knives in response to the black coated Ward.

"I come in peace. Take me to your leader," Zetsu requested calmly, his arms crossed over his chest.

"SHIT." "WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?" "IS THAT A CAPE?" the various startled ABB shouted.

"NO. I'M A GIANT RUBBER DUCKIE AND I'M GOING TO EAT YOU. QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK," Zetsu spoke, sounding more and more demonic as everyone in the vicinity saw him turn into a giant rubber duck with massive pointy teeth.

The ABB and the bystanders fled for their lives from the genjutsu. Still on the rooftop, Armsmaster watched Zetsu literally quack and scare a throng of mid-level gang members.

"Armsmaster reporting. I'm ending my patrol now. If you need me, I'm going to be in my workshop. I need to invent something to make sure I'm not dreaming." As he left, Zetsu was still chasing the gang members and quacking madly.

* * *

Coil watched the scene where one of the new Wards chased a group of ABB members while waving his hands in the air and shouting. On another screen, he viewed the file on Zetsu, which listed a menagerie of powers and ratings.

"He could be useful, if he can be controlled."

Behind Coil's swivel chair, a Zetsu clone spoke, "Yeah, but how are you going to do that?"

The villain mastermind immediately turned and shot the clone in one reality wherein the Zetsu clone poofed and Coil was again alone. In the other, he held the Ward at gunpoint. "How did you get in here?" he asked.

"I'm a fucking ninja. Did you really think I couldn't sneak into a secret underground compound?"

"Why are you here?" he asked.

"Just meeting the neighbors," Zetsu answered plainly. "Also, did I just have a dream where you shot me? Do you have a déjà vu power or something?"

"Why would you think that? Zetsu, I presume?" Coil spoke calmly, knowing that he could end this reality at any moment.

The black clad boy shrugged. "No reason. Forget I mentioned it. Anyways, what's up with you? You got this great snake motif going on. Snake powers?" he asked.

"I'd rather not say," Coil answered. "I wouldn't be surprised if you could control snakes, given your laundry list of powers."

"Nah. Not snakes."

Coil leaned back casually and asked, "Do you mind if I ask how you became a Ward?"

"It kinda just happened," the congenial ninja spoke. "It's been pretty fun so far."

Coil asked his next question, "If the Wards don't work out for you, perhaps you would consider entering my own employ? I assure you, the opportunities for 'fun' abound."

"Sure, man. Give me a business card or something." Zetsu extended his hand to receive such a card.

Coil's card had a similar snake motif in the corner and fancy white lettering on black. When Coil handed it to Zetsu, the Ward inflicted a genjutsu on the man to knock him out while he read the man's memories. After doing it once, he felt less guilty about doing it again to someone far more suspicious. How else does one ensure they don't end up a minion for some supervillain?

That reality left only an impression of suspicion upon the surviving reality where Coil decided to shoot the clone and find a more secret base of operations. Between the dispersion of the clone and the nature of Coil's powers, the real Zetsu only received the vaguest sense of wrongness from the Cape, other than having been shot by Coil. Even a goddess first-class, unlimited, could only dimensionally anchor someone so well. Belldandy's work was no small effort but it was by no means perfect, given that he was in this universe in the first place.

The real Zetsu continued to chase the 'surviving' ABB to their hideout, hoping that he would get a chance to meet their leader. He could use a nice fight at the moment.


	11. Chapter 11

Only a few ABB gang members managed to reach the safety of their hideout. Normally, a giant rubber duck would be only moderately intimidating. But convinced that the rubber duck was spouting very warm fire and seemingly bullet proof and had eaten a few of their comrades, just three of the men were physically fit enough to run the entire way.

The pair of armed guards stepped outside to see grown men running away from a hooded boy that was briskly chasing them. "Hold up. Who's that?" one of them asked. None of Zetsu's victims stopped to answer, running inside to beg their leader to save them.

"Yo, I'm here to challenge your leader. Is he in here?" Zetsu asked from under his hood.

"Uh…" the confused guard mumbled.

The other guard pulled out a cell phone and called his superior. After mumbling into the phone, he covered the receiver and asked, "Who are you again?"

"I am Zetsu." Feeling that was insufficient, he added, "I'm a cape. A ward."

Immediately, both guards raised their handguns at the ninja.

"His name is Lung, right? I'm assuming he's in there," Zetsu said as he walked past the guards. The moment before he was shot by the guard's handgun, Zetsu raised the barrel of the gun to the sky with his hand. "Hey, I said I come in peace."

* * *

"I give up, Director. Find someone else to watch Zetsu," Armsmaster told Director Piggot on his way to his workshop.

"I can't say that I blame you," the Director said exasperatedly. "For now perhaps we could try him with Miss Militia. You'll be helping Weaver instead."

"Weaver?"

"The other new ward. She could use some experience. Meet her after school ends," she ordered. "By the way, where IS Zetsu at the moment?"

"…"

* * *

"So here's the deal," Zetsu began to speak in the middle of a crowd of ABB thugs and before the mighty leader, Lung. "I want to challenge you to a fight. If you win, I'll take out the Empire Eighty-Eight. If I win, I become the new leader of the ABB and you work for me."

"You…want to fight me?" Lung spoke as he stood up and stretched his tattooed arms. "Do you know who I am?"

"I got the gist of it."

Lung let out a bellowing, evil laugh. "I see you no longer wish to live. I will oblige your death wish."

Zetsu dodged backward, avoiding Lung's fist swiping at his head. The crowd began to roar as their boss's attacks were all blocked or avoided. Lung only paused his onslaught when he noticed the bleeding gashes in his arms. Zetsu was holding a pair of bloody kunai. The larger man's nostril flared in anger as he spoke quietly, "Nothing will save you now."

For his banter, Lung received a smattering of senbon to the upper torso. The man roared and charged at the boy. His wounds were already beginning to close as his movements became quicker and came closer to hitting Zetsu. Lung's skin began to shine with a metallic accent when he charged the boy with his entire body.

However, Lung instead barreled into a swirling fireball that Zetsu had summoned in his hands. Lung flew backward into the wall on the other side of the room. His skin was scratched and scorched, despite the infusion of armor his power gave him.

He let out a draconic roar and threw a wooden desk at the Ward. The desk impacted on the fireball, becoming but splinters. Behind the desk, however, was the wooden chair that Lung had also thrown. Zetsu redirected the chair into the air behind him but Lung took the moment to bull rush the boy.

The two of them crashed outside the third floor window. Zetsu found purchase on the wall just underneath the window, standing perpendicular to the wall, while Lung was getting up from a tiny crater he had made in the street. The inhuman dragon-man looked up at the boy. Zetsu's black coat fluttered in the wind.

Lung breathed a spray of fire at the boy, who ran across the building wall as if he was in a kung-fu action movie. Zetsu replied by throwing kunai with bits of paper tied to the end. They landed in a pentagram around Lung before exploding simultaneously.

Zetsu continued circling his opponent from above, not trusting the explosive tags to do any significant damage to the now scale-armored cape. He ran his fingers through a series of hand seals and then landed on the ground near the smoke cloud that surrounded Lung.

Lung roared as he sank into the concrete as if he was standing in water. Plumes of fire streaked in the direction of Zetsu. A single hand seal later, Zetsu was replaced by a used tire which landed on the ground as a pile of burnt rubber.

The dust cleared and Lung was climbing out of blackened, crumbling concrete. Thumping music began to play as Zetsu cast a genjutsu and watched the flaming dragon-man stand in the dancing air.

"WRAH?" Lung spoke as he looked for the source of the sound. By now, the villain was over ten feet tall.

"You don't like techno? How about this?" Zetsu asked as the music changed to something that could have come from a Kingdom Hearts game.

The ABB minions gawked from above as Zetsu smashed his fists into Lung's body and limbs. It only staggered Lung for a moment before the Ward broke off his attack. A massive beam of fire began tracking Zetsu from the mouth of the dragon. Ordinarily Zetsu was perfectly capable of dodging but the presence of curious bystanders convinced him to block the blast with his upheld arm. The fire impacted and flowed around the boy. The few people who had stopped to watch the street brawl ran in fear of their lives.

When the flames dissipated, Lung had disappeared. Zetsu immediately attacked behind himself with a spinning kick but massive dragon-man caught his foot with a claw. Lung crushed the appendage and swung the boy by the leg into the nearest wall. His triumphant roar shook the nearby buildings.

Lung's celebrations were cut short by pointed laughter coming from the human-sized hole in the abandoned apartment building wall. Zetsu hobbled out of the building to lean against the wall he had just been thrown through. His coat was scratched and covered in dust. He continued to laugh maniacally until he spoke to the invincible villain, "It's been a while since I've had this much fun, Lung. Unfortunately for you, school's out."

Surfeit with chakra with the release of the Kage Bunshin Jutsu, the air swirled around Zetsu, fluttering his black overcoat dramatically as it seemed to collect in his hands. He launched the ball of swirling, crackling electrical energy into the two story tall cape.

Lung caught the Lightning Rasengan in a single clawed, armored hand. The attack fizzled and Lung flew toward Zetsu faster than anything his size had a right to be. Lung's flaming claw swiped at Zetsu, who blocked with both arms and skidded back two meters.

"You're supposed to lose when I break out my special move!" Zetsu shouted.

Lung replied with a guttural chuckle. Again, he was cut off as Zetsu sliced off two of his fingers with a futuristic knife. Lung roared in pain and slammed his fists down on the boy. Instead of crushing his opponent, Lung ended up crushing a small sedan that had not been there a moment before.

Zetsu stood behind the enraged dragon creature, holding an oversized sword next to him, tip touching the ground. The ridiculously large blade was covered in bandages and the long handle had several grey spines along its length. The spines had even speared through Zetsu's hand which was bleeding heavily.

"It's been fun, Lung, but I have to end this before the party-poopers show up," Zetsu spoke, noticing familiar presences closing on his location. "Samehada! Absolve!"

A moment later, Zetsu was again behind Lung, only the massive Samehada was stained with blood, and instead of bandages was covered in grey, wriggling scales. The dragon-man fell to a knee, the bleeding gash in his chest surrounded by human-looking flesh.

"Zetsu, stand down!" Armsmaster announced over his built-in speakers. He was accompanied by the red cape, Velocity.

As soon as Zetsu turned toward the source of the sound, a man wearing an oni mask appeared next to him and subsequently exploded. When the dust cleared, the massive, organic looking sword was gone and Zetsu was completely unharmed, albeit scowling off into the distance. Lung was also gone, presumably taken away by the oni-man.

Zetsu pouted, "Exploding fucker messed up my coat!"


	12. Chapter 12

Haru sat across from Director Piggot in an interrogation room. Armsmaster and Miss Militia stood at either side of Piggot, weapons ready. The boy had consented to all orders given to him and was now handcuffed to his chair. It was doubtful the PRT had anything to truly contain the new Ward, who had an amazing ability to ignore nearly every security measure he was confronted with.

"A question I should have asked from the beginning: what are you?" Director Piggot asked. Her face was grim. Her eyes were weary.

Haru closed his eyes and clenched his teeth as he searched for words. "I usually just call myself a ninja."

Armsmaster scoffed, "Ninja? That would explain the shurikens."

"That doesn't explain your unusually vast repertoire of abilities," Miss Militia pointed out. "I believe the director is asking whether or not you are a human."

Haru took a long breath and answered, "I'm at least PART human. It's kind of complicated."

"Enlighten us," Emily intoned.

* * *

"...And that's how I became a cursed half-human ninja clone who moonlights as a demon hunter and savior of humanity," Haru concluded twenty minutes of outrageous backstory.

It was a full minute of silence before Armsmaster spoke, "He's telling the truth."

Piggot pulled her face out of her hands and asked, "These 'Angels' you fought, how would you compare them to Endbringers?"

"I don't know. I've haven't fought an Endbringer yet."

The Protectorate capes looked to their leader for how to continue the interrogation.

"First of all, you are forbidden to tell anyone you are from an alternate Earth. Second, you are forbidden from provoking confrontations unless under direct orders from a superior. That means no more fighting capes on your own."

"That's so boring though!"

"Third, you need to conceal the nature of your abilities. Publicly, your power will be the ability to create illusions. You will maintain this pretense," Piggot told the boy despite his protests.

"But...but I hate doing that! It's no fun to cheese fights with  _genjutsu_. You might as well cast an illusion on the entire world and call it a day," Haru pouted.

"You can do that?!" Armsmaster asked, putting his free hand against the side of his helmet in response to psychological distress.

"What if I could? Would you ask me to?" Haru asked the man. "Is that the kind of thing this job entails? Cause I was going to rehabilitate the ABB and dismantle the E88 but you decided you didn't like how I operate. So what exactly do you want me to do?"

Piggot slammed her hands down on the table. "That's not how it works. You can't just do whatever you want!"

"Why not? I felt like helping your silly paramilitary. At this point I'm just curious what would happen if you were to finally win, what you would become if you finally beat all the bad guys and there was no one left to fight. It's been fun so far but maybe I'd rather see what would happen if I helped the bad guys win. It might be more interesting."

Miss Militia spoke up, "How could you..."

"Because I've seen it. I've seen it both way. And could you even stop me if I decided to just start killing everyone in the city?" Haru asked, smiling maniacally.

Armsmaster confidently proclaimed, "Of course we would stop you."

Haru began laughing, becoming louder and louder. "I've killed gods and devils. Do you really think some bullets and a fancy axe is going to take me out? Are you serious?"

It was clear that the three adults were weighing their odds against the boy.

Piggot answered coldly, "You have your orders, Zetsu. You're free to go."

The boy slowly stopped laughing and said, "Alright, boss. Man, I'm super hungry. I want to try that deli on Fairmount. Oh, my god, a sandwich would be perfect for breakfast." To that end, he returned the unlocked shackles to Armsmaster and made to leave.

Director Piggot asked one final question to end the meeting, "Zetsu, do know about the cape known as Scion?"

"Only a little. I'm very interested in meeting him. And knowing my luck, it won't just be for coffee and chitchat."

The boy vanished, leaving the others in contemplative silence.


	13. Chapter 13

Lung sat on an elevated table and ran his fingers over the new scar in his chest. An old Asian lady healer had stitched the wound while describing how lucky Lung had been to avoid any serious injury. The scar would be permanent, however. He would ordinarily be enjoying the cathartic thrill of victory against any other cape but right now all he felt was pain and anger.

Oni Lee entered the room, wearing his demonic mask. He handed Lung's metallic dragon mask to the fellow cape. He spoke to Lung, " _He is a ghost. He has no family or history. His power is listed as illusion control."_

" _His power was real."_  Lung pointed to his chest, " _This was not done by an illusion."_

" _So the website lies."_

" _Perhaps. We do know he is capable of some illusions. I do not believe that is the extent of his powers,"_  Lung growled in Chinese. He punched the table he sat on, shaking jars of herbs and needles on the shelves lining the walls. " _Find him. Find what is close to his heart. Either he will work for me or he will die."_

* * *

Haru stuffed the rest of her ice cream cone into her mouth. Currently female, she was wearing her usual white hoodie and jeans as she observed the bay along the boardwalk. Although she had to watch out for getting splashed with cold water, she wanted to take a break from being a heartless killing machine.

The sky was clear and sunny despite the chilling sea breeze. It was a beautiful winter day. Haru used her ki to keep her fingers warm. She wondered what Ino would have thought of the view.

Truthfully, it would have been beautiful if it weren't for the mass of sunken ships littering the old docks. Water and wind were her worst elemental nature manipulations. Chakra strings wouldn't be able to do much for tons of rusted metal. It would have to be the AT field.

She waved her arm and the wreckages of the Boat Graveyard were catapulted into the far horizon one at a time with frightening efficiency. Haru glanced behind her back at a blonde girl that had seen the spectacle. The girl fled in terror behind an abandoned building into an alley.

"Huh. I thought people would be used to seeing superpowers," Haru remarked to herself. In only a minute, all the derelicts across the bay had been flung into the deep waters of the sea miles away. "That's better. Now it looks like a proper port."

"Are you a cape?" the girl asked. The girl was clutching her head in pain.

"Kinda?" Haru answered. It was evident from the girl's aura that she had some sort of power. Haru had wanted to intimidate the cape that was following her with a show of power. She hadn't intended to hurt her.

The blonde winced and held both hands against her temples. "You're that new cape, Zetsu."

"Hey, I thought capes weren't supposed to be able to read minds," Haru replied.

The freckled blonde fell to her knees, "What are you?! …You're…you're not human…"

"I'm supposed to keep that a secret! Don't read my mind like that," Haru said, pouting slightly. "Are you okay? You don't look so good." Nearby, more capes were arriving. Looking at the wimpering girl, Haru decided she couldn't leave her there. She lifted the girl onto her shoulder like a sack of vegetables and noted that the girl's hair was much darker than Ino's platinum blonde.

"I can already tell you're going to be nothing but trouble," Haru muttered as she flickered away.

Haru stretched her arms behind her head as she asked, "So what's your deal, Girly?"

Within an abandoned office building, the mystery girl sat at a Japanese style table that was replete with mandarins and green tea. The girl sighed exhaustedly. "My name is Lisa, not Girly."

With a bubbly tone, Haru asked from the opposite side of the table, "So, Lisa, you can see the future or something?"

"Not quite," Lisa spoke after sipping the tea. "It would help my headache greatly if you would tell me what you intend to do with me."

Haru crawled around the table and peered into Lisa's eyes. "You're kind of cute. Maybe I just want someone to talk to."

"I'm sorry but I'm not into women," Lisa replied.

"Okay," Haru replied blankly. She pulled a water bottle out of her sleeve as if performing a magic trick. She upended the steel bottle over her head and suddenly grew a couple inches in stature and lost her generous chest. The bottle disappeared, the suddenly male Haru clapped his hands together once, and with a dim flash of light, he was clad in his traditional black vinyl zippered coat. Even one of his eyes changed colors from brown to green.

"You still look like a female," Lisa said as she again clutched her forehead with the base of her palm.

"Does it look like I care?"

While peeling a mandarin, Lisa asked, "So how long are you going to keep me here? My head feels fine now."

"That's because I'm not casting any illusions right now." To demonstrate, Haru shrouded the room in shadows along the walls and ceiling.

"Ow, I get it. Please stop," the girl complained. The room returned to normal and her headache ceased.

"So I take it that your power tells you the truth about things," Haru ventured.

"Something like that."

"So tell me," Haru spoke as he shifted to sit next to Lisa. "What do I want most of all?"

The girl rapidly scuttled around the low table. "I don't think I'm the right person to answer that question."

"Then tell me…what is it that you wish for in your soul?" Haru asked seriously, glaring at the girl.

"I…I don't know. I wish you'd just leave me alone," she spat out, no longer quite as sure about the situation she was in.

A bright light shone from the back of Haru's left hand. "That's kind of a lame wish but I guess I could do that." He shouted at the ceiling, "Did you hear that, Belldandy? That counts, right?"

"I think I'll just show myself out now…" Lisa said, backing away from the insane boy.

Haru appeared behind her and touched a hand to her temple. The girl felt a tingling sensation and jerked her head away as Haru spoke, "Now my illusions won't give you anymore headaches. Take care of yourself, Girly."

Lisa woke up a half-hour later in the Undersider's hideout. The only proof that anything had happened was a red spider lily next to her pillow. She decided to spend the rest of the day in bed and that nothing less than an endbringer would drag her away from the comfort of her sheets.

* * *

"Hey, Panacea, if you had one wish, what would it be?" Haru asked, as he watched the cape regrow an elderly man's liver.

"Hm. Probably world peace?" she answered half-heartedly. She felt as if she was growing used to having the weird cape around the hospital. For once in her life, it seemed like she could go home without having to worry about leaving people untreated.

"Ugh, so boring. Forget I asked," Haru muttered and he poofed away, leaving the girl to merely shrug and continue healing by herself.


	14. Chapter 14

"When you punch, you need to twist your body more. That's the basic way to get more power behind your attacks," Haru explained as she wore a pair of punching mitts and received Taylor's punches. The two girls were alone in the Arcadia gymnasium after school. Haru was wearing her typical hoodie while Taylor was wearing athletic clothing, which was becoming drenched with sweat. "You need to pull your arms back faster to protect yourself from counterattacks."

"Alright, Sensei," Taylor said, breathing heavily.

"I'm impressed that you can keep going for so long. You said that you started running in the mornings?" Haru dropped the mitts and handed her student a steel water bottle.

"Yeah, I thought it'd be a good idea," Taylor admitted.

"How far have you gotten with Chris?"

"What?" Taylor ejected water from her mouth. "What are you talking about?"

"So you haven't gone out yet?" Haru asked innocently.

"No! We're just friends."

"Alright. If you say so."

Changing the subject, Taylor asked, "How did you get so strong, Haru?"

"Well, while I was at the orphanage, I would train my body. I'd do 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, and 100 squats every day. Then I'd run 10 kilometers around the village. After that, I added some weights to build up my chakra. Then I practiced against a lot of strong people." She tactfully omitted mentioning the parts where she enslaved demonic beasts, fought against gods, and condemned an entire world to damnnation.

"Are you okay, Haru? You seem kind of out of it."

The redhead snapped back to attention and said, "Yeah."

"Hey, um, I wanted to thank you again for training me," Taylor said while toweling off her forehead and neck.

"Taylor, why did you agree to become a Ward? You didn't have to do it just because I suggested it."

"...I guess I wanted to. I mean, it's not like I can just stop knowing where every bug around me is. I figure I should do something with my power that does good for people, even if I got them because of someone else being bad to me. What about you? Why did you join the Wards?"

Haru paused and stared at the ground beside her eager student. "Because people get upset when you try to destroy all the evil in the world. It's better just to just leave the status quo alone than to actually fix anything."

"Haru, I don't know what happened to you, but I'm sorry."

"What do you have to be sorry for?"

"You have this look on your face...like my dad had when my mom died."

Haru smiled. "You're a good kid. Hold onto that goodness."

Taylor glanced at the clock on the wall. "Hey, I have to go meet my dad for something. I'll see you tomorrow at school. Thanks for the lesson," Taylor said cheerfully as she waved and left.

When she was alone, Haru twirled her hand, summoning a kunai. She twirled the metal weapon on her finger by the ring on the end of the handle.

"I want to kill something."


	15. Chapter 15

"I suppose I should call you Haru while you are out of costume. How can I help you, Miss Ikari?" Director Piggot asked the currently female Haru. All efforts to keep the cape out of her office had proved fruitless. Physical locks, electronic locks, armed guards, 'Zetsu' walked past them all.

"Hey, Emily," began the well-endowed redhead. "One of the ABB villians is hanging around Arcadia. Or at least I think he's ABB, cause, well, he's Asian."

"Why haven't you informed Armsmaster?" Director Piggot asked wearily.

Haru tugged her t-shirt down cutely. "Um, I was wondering if I could hunt him down myself."

"No. That goes against every PRT protocol…"

The girl cut the woman off, "But I'm soooo bored. I haven't gotten to do anything fun since that Lung guy. I swear I've been a good muggle at school. But patrols are really lame, even when Miss Militia lets me shoot her guns. Just kidding. She's boring too."

"I've already told you, you can't…"

"Ugh, fine. Then what if I went rogue? I promise not to kill anyone! That way I could just bring you villains and I wouldn't have to hang out here anymore," Haru pouted, giving the cutest Ranma-chan puppy eyes she could.

Emily blinked once from across her desk, immune to cuteness. "As tempting as that offer is, I can't let you leave PRT observation. As a self-proclaimed resident of Tokyo Three, with no birth certificate, passport, or evidence of your existence on this planet until six weeks ago, not to mention the single most powerful cape ever discovered, you cannot be trusted unsupervised without at the very least a parental guardian."

"What if I move in with the Heberts? It'd be like a family sitcom."

"As I was saying…You need a parental guardian with power armor and energy weapons to keep you in line."

Haru leaned back and crossed her arms. "As much as I love tormenting our dear Colin, I have places to be and a world to save. Otherwise I'll never become a full-fledged interdimensional superspy."

In a sudden bout of inspiration, the PRT director realized she could kill multiple birds with one stone. "Fine. You want something to do? I'll let you tackle this ABB cape if, and only if, you manage to turn Shadow Stalker into a respectable hero." Haru's jaw fell and she groaned for a full ten seconds before Emily continued. "You asked for this. And if you come back without scheduling an appointment, I will shoot you, I swear, bloodstains be damned. Now get out of my office."

The ninja sighed and flipped backward out of her chair. Zetsu's familiar black, Tetsuya Nomura style coat seemed to flow out of her clothes and surround the now decided male-looking Haru. As the boy casually left, Director Piggot observed nothing on any of her computer monitors, not even the opening of her office door. This warranted a call to Dragon about upgrading security systems.


End file.
